This application claims the priority of German Application No. 102 32 600.2 filed Jul. 18, 2002, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to an ashtray or a similar receptacle, especially for automobiles, with a holder and a removable ashtray in the holder, whereby a lifting mechanism is provided for removing the ashtray from a usage position into an easy-grip position for removal, which lifting mechanism includes an adjustable actuator element in the holder.
An ashtray for automobiles is known from German Patent Document No. DE 44 27 868 C2, whereby the adjustable ashtray, which is inserted into the holder, can be displaced from a usage position to an easy-grip position for removal by means of a lifting mechanism.
In this arrangement, the lifting mechanism includes an adjustable actuator element in the holder, which is connected by means of a transmission element, which is designed as a slider. At the end of the slider, an inclined surface is provided, which comes into contact with the corresponding inclined working surface of the ashtray when the slider is shifted.
An object of the invention is to create an alternative lifting mechanism for a removable ashtray, which comprises a simple, cost-efficient construction.
According to the invention, this object is achieved providing an ashtray assembly for automobiles, including a holder and a removable ashtray in the holder, whereby a lifting mechanism is provided for moving the ashtray from a usage position into an easy-grip position for removal, which lifting mechanism includes an adjustable actuator element at the holder, and a transmission element, which works together with the actuator element, wherein the transmission element is in an operating connection with a hinged pivotal lever at the holder so that when shifting the actuator element, the pivotal lever makes an arc shaped motion, during the course of which a rounded upper end area of the pivotal lever comes in contact with a bottom side of the ashtray and thereby moves the ashtray up towards the easy-grip position for removal. Further advantageous features of the invention are described herein and in the claims.
Important advantages achieved by certain preferred embodiments of the invention include the feature that the lifting mechanism, comprises an actuator element, a transmission element and a pivotal lever, exhibits a simple, cost-efficient construction. The transmission element can be realized as a lever, as a linkage, as a slider and the like. The relatively short pivotal lever is, with the area of its lower end, pivoted at a vertical wall of the holder. At a distance from this linkage, an area of the transmission element not facing the actuator element engages into the pivoted lever. For the exact guidance of the pivotal lever, a protruding pin is arranged on it, which is in an operating connection with the slot opening that is shaped as a curved arc, preferably a circular arc section. By means of a cam-shaped realization of an upper edge area of the pivot lever, a simple lift of the ashtray is achieved.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.